Only You
by Jyuuki-Chann
Summary: What happens when an unpopular, high school girl is suddenly surrounded by some of the cutest guys in the school? Never confident about her appearance, this girl is about to face some of the toughest experiences in her life; taking care of her new friends, regaining her self-esteem, and maybe, even finding her soul mate. A story of courage and romance that you can't afford to miss.
1. The Meeting

Waking up early had never been your strong point. Nevertheless, it was hard to refuse an invitation from a new friend.

About a few weeks had passed since the first day of school at Iwatobi High. The move had been hard on you because it was all so new and different. Plus, you were separated from the little people you knew and loved. But it had to be done, for the sake of the family.  
Once you and your family had arrived, the first thing on your list was to make friends. Yeah, easier said than done. You had never been a popular girl, nor did you possess the looks of a goddess, so making friends was an issue. Especially if you were shy. So thank God for Matsuoka Gou, the girl who befriended you the very first day of school. Though a bit bossy, she was a nice girl who deeply cared for her loved ones (not to mention, that she had a huge obsession with muscles).  
Yesterday, you received a call from her inviting you to the beach. Hence, here you were; 10:35 a.m.; sitting on a couch with your cellphone in hand, desperately waiting for Gou's call. /Man, she sure is taking her time...\ you said thoughtfully.  
*RING RING*  
/Finally!\ "Hello, Gou-Chan?"  
"It's Kou!" She yelled annoyingly. You rolled your eyes in response as she kept on talking, "Listen, I can't make it to your house because my brother isn't ready yet. But don't worry, I sent two of my friends in my stead. They'll arrive any minute!"  
"Wha?! G-Gou-?-"  
"Sorry, I have to go. See you in a bit [name]-Chan!  
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*  
Your heart sank. /Walking to the beach with two people I don't even know?!\ Well this was fantastic. There's no way you could keep your cool in a situation like this.  
Almost as if on cue, the doorbell rang /Aw man...\  
Hands sweaty and fist clenched to your sides, you made your way to the front door /Here we go\ you thought as you opened the door.  
"Good mor...ning.." /Oh my goodness\  
Two hot guys; at the front door; in front of your house. This. Was not. Happening.  
"Good morning. You must be [last name][first name]. My name is Tachibana Makoto, it's very nice to meet you." An olive haired boy greeted himself as he bowed down in respect. /Man he's tall\ Then, your eyes trailed off to a peculiar dark haired boy, who rudely averted your gaze.  
As if sensing his actions, the one called Makoto blurted, "Ah! This is Nanase Haruka. Don't worry, he's just a bit shy."  
"Oh. Is that so?" /My hands are really shaking, dang it!\  
"We should get going. Gou told us to get you safely to the beach." Makoto held his hand up to help you down the steps.  
"A-Ah, well...thanks. Sorry for the bother."  
Your whole body fired up once your hands met. They were so big and comforting. Also, this was the first time you'd ever had skin contact with a guy! (well, aside from your father). Though nervous, you somehow found it calming. His hand almost conveyed tranquility to your body and you even felt a bit more relaxed.  
"Thanks..." You whispered softly and smiled at him.  
"No problem!" /Huh? I could have sworn I just saw him blush a little bit\.  
Just then, the moment was cut off by Haruka, "Hurry up, I want to get into the water." Makoto laughed softly, and gestured me to go along first. /What a gentleman!\

Somehow, after a few minutes of walking, you ended up right between the boys.  
Apparently, they both lived very close to your home. About a 15 minute walk from Makoto's house to yours. But that was it. You had absolutely no more data on these two, whatsoever.  
You weren't very good at conversations, so you just let them talk to each other. Their conversation consisted about swimming and they also mentioned something about the Regional competition. /That's right, these guys are in the school's swim club aren't they? They must be training then\ You remembered Gou saying something about being the manager of the club or something. /Lucky girl\.  
"Say [last name]-San?" Your body twitched at the sound of Makoto's sudden voice.  
"Just [first name]-San is fine..."  
"Oh, um, okay...[name]-San..." He rubbed the back of his neck shyly before proceeding. "Have you ever been to the beach before?" The question brought back some serious pangs of nostalgia.  
"Yeah. I used to go with my cousins. Haha, but that was a long time ago...besides; I won't be seeing them for a while." /Dang. I really don't want to cry right now\. You held back your tears just as Makoto's voice rose up again, "You sound like you miss them."  
Surprised, you turned to face his green eyes. He placed a gorgeous smile on his face before he went on, "But don't worry, we'll make sure you don't feel alone. Right, Haru?" He glanced over to his friend, who turned to look at you. It was strange, but even though he said nothing, it was as if his blue eyes reassured you that it was true. You couldn't help but smile.  
"Thank you."

"Haru-Chan, Mako-Chaaaaan!" You hadn't even set foot on the beach and already someone came to greet you.  
"Ehh, who's this?" Gorgeous, deep-pink eyes met your gaze and scanned you from head to toe.  
"Nagisa, this is [Last name][First name]. And [name]-San, this here is Hazuki Nagisa." Makoto introduced us both.  
"Ah, nice to meet you [name]-Chan!" /Chan…?\  
Nagisa came at you and grabbed your palms, "Come on, lemme introduce you to Rei-Chan!"  
"W-wait!" Too late, he was already dragging you to the beach. Looking at Haruka and Makoto, you searched for some kind of explanation in their eyes; but Makoto just smiled with concern, and for some reason, Haruka was…..STRIPPING?!  
"Whaaat!?" /Why is nobody stopping him?!\  
You were about to say something, until you noticed he was wearing his swimsuit underneath his clothes. /Huh?\  
In less than a second, a gust of wind rushed by you and there was a sudden splash in the water. What just happened?  
"Don't worry, that's perfectly normal. You must be miss [last name], correct?"  
You were in such a daze about the current situation, that you didn't even notice Nagisa still clinging to you; and you were already standing at the spot Gou had chosen for you and the guys to settle in.  
"Y-yes, nice to meet you, uh..?"  
"Ryugazaki Rei, at your service." The blue-haired boy bowed to you. /Great, another hot guy.\  
"Awww Rei-Chan. _I _wanted to introduce her." Nagisa pouted.  
"Guys!" Gou? She was here!  
You spun around to greet her, "Gou-Chan!" /Finally, another female. I could almost cry!\ Without notice, you trampled her in a hug.  
"Gou-Chan, I thought I was a goner. There's too much pheromone in the atmosphere!"  
"Pheromone?" Nagisa muttered in confusion.  
Gou flustered a bit, but then she attempted to calm you down by patting your head, "Don't worry [name]-Chan, you'll get used to it eventually."  
Get used to it? No way! It was already hard enough for you to just go outside the comfort of your house. It was impossible for you to handle this amount of pressure.  
"Hey, Gou. Who's this?" A strong voice came from behind as you felt someone's hand placed firmly on top of your head. /Another one…?\ You couldn't dare look back. Being surrounded by four males was already taking a huge toll on your poor, shy, little heart. But of course, you did it anyway.  
Big.  
Intimidating.  
Pointy teeth.  
"H-h-h-h-hi…." Your voice stuttered against your will. /I's he really human?\  
"Tch." He scoffed, "This is the girl you were talking about? [last name], was it?"  
"Y-yes."  
"Matsuoka Rin. I'm Gou's older brother." He let go of your head and bowed slightly with a nod, "Nice to meet you."  
"L-likewise." You bowed back.  
"Now if you'll excuse me." He stormed off to the shore and stripped off his clothes almost immediately. /No. I'm pretty sure that's not normal at all.\ Thank God there weren't many people at the beach today. Otherwise, there would've been quite a fuss.  
"Haruka-San and my brother are always going at it like that."  
"Really?"  
"Yup. But never mind them; let's go for a swim! Did you bring the swimsuit I bought for you?"  
"Oh. Um.." Right, that embarrassing bikini she picked out for you at the mall the other day. There's no way you'd put it on. "Yeah. It's in my bag"  
"Well that's no good. C'mon, let's get you changed [name]-Chan!"  
"N-no, Gou!"

You fought valiantly. You did the best you could; but no one,_ NO ONE_, could _ever_ win against Matsuoka Gou.  
So there you were; dressed in a ridiculous bikini that exposed about 93% of your body, covering yourself with a towel in the attempt of salvaging that last 7%.  
"Take that thing off." Gou pleaded.  
"Nope. Absolutely not."  
"You'll miss all the fun."  
"I would like to conserve what little chastity remains in me, thank you very much."  
Gou sighed profoundly and pondered for a while. Probably looking for a way to persuade you; to make you move. But it wasn't happening. There's no way you'd go out like this.  
"Ah-ha!" Oh no…  
She leaned down and whispered in your ear, "If you get in, I'll buy the treat of your choice." That did it.  
"…fine.."  
"Alright! Let's go!"  
Gou pulled you along toward the water, right were the boys were. You might have agreed to this, but one thing was for sure;

This could _not _end well…


	2. Trust

"Uwaaaahh, [Name]-Chan is exposing so much skin!" Ughhh, that Nagisa. Just when you were trying to approach the water without being seen. But instead, he blurts that out and runs right at you, "Hey hey, you have really nice curves. Don't you guys agree?"/Crud.\ You couldn't look at them, really. Not with all this red on your face. And right now, all eyes were on _you. _ /I want to disappear…\. You knew it wasn't true though, he was just being nice.  
"Yeah, I guess so." Your eyes widened at Rin's unexpected comment /He actually agreed?\, "What? Don't look at me like that. It was just a compliment so don't think much of it." He scoffed and went to grab a beach ball. "Whatever let's just play some volleyball!"  
"Ehhh, Rin-Chan is so mean." Nagisa mumbled before following the others to play.  
'_Don't think much of it_,' he said. Yeah, easier said than done.  
"No worries." A warm hand made its way onto your shoulder, and you veered your head to face a pair of green eyes. "Rin has an odd way of expressing his thoughts. Besides…I think you look _do_ good in that swimsuit. Bu-but in a nice, and non-perverted kind of way!" He said while frantically waving his hands in the air. A hint of blush on his face. /Seriously! How can someone so big be so darn cute!\  
You giggled a little before speaking, "I really appreciate your comment, Tachibana-San." His face tensed up for a moment at the mention of his name; as if it somehow bothered him; but his expression steadily grew into a sweet smile.  
"Well, let's join the fun, shall we?" You nodded and followed behind.

Twenty minutes of splashing went by, and despite all of your previous expectations, you were actually having fun. The pressure of being surrounded by the opposite sex was gradually dissolving. You didn't know what exactly it was about these guys that made you feel so…natural. So secure.  
Ever since you could remember, being in crowds was always a disaster for you; always afraid of embarrassing yourself, of getting crushed by those around you. It was natural for human beings to insult each other, and make fun of other people once they mess up. It was, without a doubt, your biggest fear; to be shunned and made fun of. These guys, however, they just made you smile without a reason, even if you _were _nervous around them. But, why?  
"[name!]" Gou called from the shore. /When did she get out of the water?\ , "Could you help me with the cooking?" You nodded in agreement and headed to her direction.  
"What's for lunch?" You rubbed your shoulder, sore from hitting all those high balls.  
"We're going western style with some old fashioned hot dogs." She suddenly stopped and looked around; as if to make sure that no one would hear what she was going to say, "So, who's body do you like the best?"  
"Huh?"  
"You know what I mean! Which of the boys has the best build? In my opinion, you should go for Onii-Chan. He has the greatest biceps." You were confused; and for a moment, it was almost as if you could see the sparkle in her eyes when she spoke about muscles.  
"I-" You stared at the boys who were laughing and enjoying themselves; some heat rose from your cheeks, "-I don't think I'm qualified to answer that."  
Gou frowned at your reaction, "Don't be like that. Come on, you _must _have a favorite muscle."  
"Well…" you mulled it over for a few moments "…I _do_ sorta have a thing for backs."  
The hairs on the back of your neck stood up, at the very moment her face morphed from sweet and innocent, to utterly evil and mischievous. "Gou?"  
Without a word she turned and yelled, "Makoto sempai!"  
"Gou, what in the world are you-?" Makoto was now looking at your direction and you could feel a heaviness in your stomach. /What is she doing?!\  
"Please come over for a minute!"  
"Gou please don't." Your heart began to race, already aware of her intentions. Makoto approached you, and Gou grabbed your wrist as soon as she sensed you walking away.  
"Do you girls need anything?" He asked puzzled.  
She glanced at you one last time before answering, "Could you please turn around and flex your back muscles for [name]-Chan?"  
"EHHHHHHHHH!?" You and Makoto bellowed in unison.  
"That, that's a bit too much!" You tried to keep your cool, but to no avail. The heat on your face grew redder and redder.  
"Nonsense! Sempai, if you please."  
He looked just as confused as you felt; but who wouldn't with such a ridiculous request!  
"S-sure…" /HE AGREED?!\ He did. Turning around with hesitation, he wearily did as he was told. And right there before you, were the most glorious back muscles you've ever seen in your entire life. Every single curve, every nook and cranny was heavenly. /Woah.\  
"Do you mind if she feels it?" /Huuuuh?!\ You shot a glare at Gou, letting her know that she was really crossing the line.  
Makoto thought about it, and finally agreed, "I-I guess so." The redness in his ears has clearly visible. /Dammit, Makoto, you're not making this any easier for me!\ He was waaaayyy too adorable for his stature. At first, you hesitated, but…he _did _say you could, right? You had his permission. /Oh, what the heck.\ You decided to go for it. Slowly, you stretched your shaking hand, until there was skin contact. His muscles flinching at the touch.  
"Oh WOW." The words seemed to slip out on their own. But there was no helping it, it felt amazing!  
"What's going on here?" Haruka appeared out of nowhere, making the two of you jump. /SHOOT, they saw all of it didn't they?\  
"H-Haru! It's really not what you think! Come on, why don't we go eat?"  
"Heh, well it seemed pretty clear to me that you were getting pretty comfortable with the new girl." Rin grinned.  
"I-It was all Gou's idea!" You said in the attempt of clearing things up.  
"Yeah, but _you_ were the one who decided to go for it. I never _made_ you do it, you know?." Gou remarked. You stammered, desperately looking for a reasonable counterattack. In the end, however, you surrendered relentlessly. /There really is no winning against Matsuoka Gou, is there?\  
"We can talk about it later, let's just eat, I'm starving!" Nagisa broke the tense air and you all decided to listen to his advice. You just hoped that _'later' _didn't come any soon.

The sun was setting. This was the first time that you'd arrive late by hanging out with friends, and that made you happy.  
You all lay in the ground; feeling the roughness of the sand against your skin. Sinking in the last gasping breaths of daytime; and being wrapped in the rough sea breezes, that now hinted some cold from the nearing nightfall.  
"This feels so great." You whispered.  
"That's right, you haven't had many experiences like this, have you [name]-Chan?" You answered Gou with a shake of your head.  
"I've never actually had anyone to enjoy things like this with. It's all so foreign to me." An awkward silence filled the atmosphere. /Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have said something so depressing.\  
The sudden grip on your hand shocked you, "Don't worry [name]-Chan, from now on, _we'll_ be the ones to fill that empty space!"  
"Nagisa…" The word almost came out as a whisper.  
"Yeah, we're here for you miss [name]."  
"As long as you pay me with mackerel and water, you can ask me for help anytime."  
"Count on us, [name]-San."  
"I'm right by your side!"  
"No need to worry with us around."  
Rei, Haruka, Makoto, Gou, and even Rin-San! They all made it clear that they would stand by you. You didn't know them well enough, though. Could you really trust them? Or would they betray you, like all humankind was prone to do? It didn't matter. Just for this moment, just for a today…you decided to believe in their word. It was all you had.  
"I'm glad…to..hear that…" The tears were already falling, cascading down your cheeks. /Damn, I got swept away in the moment.\ Even though you hurried to dry them off, it was too late; Gou-Chan was already crushing you in a hug.  
"Don't cry [name]-Chan!" But you couldn't stop. You were dealing with emotions you had never felt before. Soon, they all joined in on the hug-sandwich.  
"[name]-Chan, [name]-Chan." They all cried out to you.  
Your eyes widened, and the tears ceased to fall. /Are they really able to care this much for someone else?\ It was when you realized, that this feeling wasn't bad after all. The feeling of being wanted.  
"…pfft!...AhahahHAAhahahahahAHAha!" /Why am I laughing!?\ You didn't really know the reason, but you did it anyways. You kept laughing and laughing uncontrollably. For a moment, they all seemed to be shocked. However, little by little, they joined in. Laughing as hard as they could until they were out of breath.  
Amidst all the frenzy, you took a moment to yourself to whisper, "Thank you…._all _of you."

After all the emotional drama, it was time to leave. Everyone else was packing up and you gathered your stuff to go home. /My swimsuit is dry, so I'll just put my shirt and pants over it.\  
"Ahghhh!" A sudden gust of wind rushed by and dragged away your shirt into the water. "My shirt!" You went and jumped into the water. It was cold but you couldn't just walk home half naked. You had to grab it before it went farther into the water.  
Makoto notice what happened and yelled at you, "No! [name]-San, it's too dangerous, the tide is too strong at this hour!"  
You were sure he was right, but _had_ to get that shirt. I was your mom's favorite shirt and you took it without permission. Besides, you knew how to swim so there was nothing to worry about. That was, however, until you were surrounded by nothing but blackness. Something has pulling you in deeper and deeper. You couldn't quite make out what was happening. Everything seemed to move so fast, it was all like a sudden blur; and wasn't until you felt the shortness of air that you realized….you were drowning.


	3. Refrained

Darkness. Suffocation. Desperation. Fear..  
It was horrible; the maddening feeling of your body being chucked around, along with the raging underwater current. Every attempt of resurfacing, failed. You don't exactly remember when, but at some point you stopped resisting the waves; letting them carry you along with their fearsome claws. Your body was tired, sore from fighting back against the inevitable. The last remnants of air had already been drained from your gasping lungs. You had no other choice, and there was no denying it. You were going to die. And what's more, you were going to die alone; cold; and engulfed in fear. Funny, you had planned your death to be at an old age; surrounded by friends and family as they watched you drift calmly into an eternal sleep; everyone's ideal way of dying.  
As the last strand of consciousness faded from your body, you could have sworn…just for a little bit…that somebody was calling your name. Just as it all fell into oblivion.

"…san…" /Huh?...\  
"..San!..." /Is that a voice..?\  
"..n't die, [name]-San!" It _was _a voice. Was it real? It was too distant to tell.  
/Wait, what is this around my hand?\ You felt around with your weak fingers. Palpating to make out what is was. It felt rough…kind of like, sand. Yes it was sand! Did that mean you were safe? Wait, there was another feeling. Something was on top of you; something warm… and alive. Slowly and steadily, you felt the breath coming back into you. It was refilling your lungs. /I'm being saved?\  
After what seemed like minutes, the water inside of your lungs rose through your throat and you spit it out.  
"*COUGH COUGH. HACK*" The vision was blurry, but a figure was coming into view, "…M…Ma..koto?"  
"[Name]-Chan!" You felt a crushing on your bones. No doubt, you were being embraced in one of Gou's hugs. She was in tears. "I thought *hic* that you were going to die! Geez, don't ever scare us again!" /Us?\  
You looked around, only to find the worried faces of the entire Iwatobi Swim club.  
"We thought you were a goner [name]-Chan!" Nagisa bellowed, fresh tears brimming from his eyes.  
Your groggy self was trying to sink it all in and you did your best in trying to grasp the situation. "Wait…what happened after I went in?" Haruka's face went grim and his eyes veered toward Makoto, whose green eyes seemed lost and afraid. He just sat there beside you, staring at the ground.  
"Tachibana-San?" You let yourself loose from Gou's mighty grip and sat face to face with him. "Tachibana-San what's wrong? Look, I'm okay, I'm fine." It took a few moments for him to react.  
"Ah! I'm…I'm fine.." He put on an obviously fake smile and continued, "I'm just glad you're okay." But you knew it wasn't fine. Something about his expression didn't seem normal. At that very moment Rei placed his hand on your shoulder, "Miss [name], I think it's time for us to get you home. Can you walk?"  
"I-I think so." You stood up, only to feel a sharp pain on your ankle, "AGHH!" Every ounce of you plummeted itself onto Rei, who flustered.  
"I'm sorry. I think, I sprained my ankle pretty badly, Hehehe.."  
"M-maybe you should go to the hospital." A dazed Makoto suggested from behind. You looked back and smiled, "I will, first thing in the morning." Your confirmation seemed to have calmed him down a little bit.  
"The problem is, that now you can't walk to your home." Rin pointed out.  
"I know! We can all take turns carrying her." Nagisa raised his arm frantically, as if trying to answer a question at school.  
"No. It's fine, really. Just get me a stick and I'll get there fine." Not convinced by your suggestion, Haruka's firm hands picked you up by the armpits and placed you on Rei's back.  
"Don't be ridiculous. There's no way you'd make it on your own." He scoffed. It was then where you noticed that he was also soaked.  
"Rei, were you the one who…?"  
"Don't worry about that now; let's just focus on getting home." He cut you off and smiled softly.  
"O-okay." Really…how far could these guys go for just one person?!  
"Aww [name]-Chan, you're so lucky, getting piggy rides like that." Apparently, Gou's sadness had subsided. "I know! Carry _me_ Onii-Chan!" She leaped onto her brother's back.  
"Gou!" He shimmied her off, "I have to save the energy for when it's my turn to carry [last name]." She pouted in disappointment. This seemed to get to him and he sighed, "I'll carry you some other time, okay?" He blushed, clearly embarrassed.  
"Yayy!" Gou cheered and we all laughed in unison.

Rei carried you for about 10 minutes. Then it was Nagisa's turn, and Rin's turn after that. Once you reached the train station and said goodbye to each other, it was Haruka's turn. Makoto would be last, since he lived the closest to you.  
The walk was long, and quiet. No matter how hard you thought about a subject to talk about, nothing came to mind. The atmosphere was just too tense.

"Makoto." Haruka finally broke the stoic silence. "We're approaching my house; do you want me to accompany you on the way to her house?"  
Makoto's droopy eyes fell into thought for a few moments before he smiled and answered, "No, its fine Haru. It's been a long day and you should get your rest."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes. Don't worry about it." Not another word came out of their mouths until we finally reached the longs steps leading up to Haruka's house.  
You were gently cradled from Haruka's back, to Makoto's.  
"Thank you very much, Nanase-San. I didn't think I'd be such a bother to you all." You faked a smile, when you were clearly embarrassed.  
He avoided your gaze and turned to face the steps, a small, "Don't worry about it." Rolled out of his lips and he made his way up to the stairs.  
/Despite his cold appearance, he's a very caring person isn't he?\ You couldn't help but smile at the thought.  
"Let's get you home, okay?" Makoto started to walk toward your house. /Wait…\ you came to a sudden realization, /I'm alone…at night…with a guy?!\ Your heart beat grew stronger at the thought.  
Your arms laced around his neck, arms poised on his broad shoulders. And his hair, it looked so soft; a delicious smell emanated from him. It was too much. You couldn't resist…  
"Tachibana-San, do you mind if I…" Your head fell onto his shoulder.  
"Ack! [name]-San!" he blurted in surprise.  
"I'm sorry. I'm too sleepy…"  
He sighed shakily. "If it's that then I guess its fine."  
"Thanks. Sorry…sorry…."  
He remained quiet. You could feel his heartbeat piercing right through his back. It was so fast. /Is he really that nervous?\ Maybe it was because you two were alone, but you noticed so many things about him that weren't visible before.  
Then, a question came to mind, "Say…do you still feel uneasy about what happened before? About me almost drowning?"  
He lowered his head and remained in silence.  
"I mean, everyone else was terrified, but your expression was that of regret. Or at least…that's what it looked like to me anyways…pardon me if I'm wrong."  
He chuckled wearily. "You're scaring me. It's like you can see right through me..."  
"So I was right?"  
"Probably…but forget about it. It's all well now so…let's just focus on getting you home safely."  
You did as he requested and dropped the subject just for his sake. Nevertheless, you couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that he was lying.

It was uncertain when you had fallen asleep. You must've been really tired to do so in a lapse of eight minutes.  
"[name]-San. [name]-San?" Makoto shook you lightly.  
"Hmm?" The drowsiness in your eyes was overwhelming, but you noticed that you had reached your destination. "Oh, we're here. Just put me down at the front porch and I'll take it from there."  
"Alright." He did as commanded and softly lowered you onto the floor. "You're sure you don't need anything else?" /So considerate.\  
"No. I have the keys to my house so I'll be fine. You just get yourself a good night's sleep."  
"Sure. Goodnight [name]-San." He spun on his heels to go back, and you hadn't noticed your hand suddenly gripping his wrist. "[name]-…San?"  
"I-I…" What _were_ you going to say? "I…just…*sigh* get home safely, okay?"  
He blushed a bit, "I will. See you later."  
"Yeah."  
He left off to his house and you made yourself into yours. Of course your mom was waiting there (it _was _night time after all), and of course you told her everything that happened. She was completely frantic at first, but then calmed down and was just glad that you were okay.  
"I'll make sure to go get your ankle checked first thing in the morning." She assured you before sending you off to sleep.

At last, you were surrounded by the warm comfort of your bed. Your head still spinning, you fluttered your eyes closed and cried. After all…today you almost died…


	4. To Save, and To be Saved

Your Mondays had never been this boring. I mean, yeah, you'd always spend most of your free time just laying in bed while listening to music or something; but somehow, it just wasn't as much fun when you had a cast on your leg.  
According to the doctor it was just a minor facture on your left ankle and that you'd be able to walk perfectly in a few months. However, you were not allowed to move for about a week or two. /*sigh* Isolated in my own house for two whole weeks. And just when I made new friends too…\  
You just lay there; sending an occasional stare out the window, just to get fed up with how bright the sun was. "Ugh." You closed the curtains shut. What now? You couldn't even go to the bathroom without your mother's help (which was pretty embarrassing to admit) and the minutes seemed to stretch on eternally. There wasn't much more to do than to fall asleep. And so you did.

*KNOCK KNOCK*  
"?!" You jumped awake, startled with all the knocking. "Yeah?"  
"[name]-Chan? It's me, Gou." /Gou?!\ You looked around for the nearest mirror and saw your horrid reflection. Your hair was extraordinarily messy and you were wearing a huge, ragged t-shirt. /Oh no!\ The hair brush was nowhere near you, so you just roughly stroked your hand through your hair and hid safely under the cover of your sheets. "C-come in."  
The door opened softly and Gou slid right through. "[name]? I just came to see how you were doing. Oh! And here are the notes from today's classes. I'll be bringing them to you until you can come to school again."  
"Ah, thanks Gou!" Her shoulders twitched a bit at the mention of her name, but apparently she let it slide.  
"The boys are outside. They really wanted to see you,"  
"They are? They did!?" Your heart shook at the mention of her words. Waves of Makoto's face suddenly flashed through your mind. "But…um…I'm not in my best condition right now." You looked down at your age-worn attire.  
"Hehe, don't worry. We can fix that." She went over to your closet and picked out a nice turquoise tank top. "Here, put this on. And I'll help with your hair." She smiled. /Good thing Gou's here.\ You thought.

A few minutes of fixing up passed and my hair was a lot more decent than before. Though, the thought of having so many guys inside your own room was unnerving. It kinda made your hands shake a bit.  
"Come in, guys." Gou announced from behind the door, which soon cracked open, revealing a pair of purple eyes.  
"How are you doing, Miss [name]?" Rei asked with concern.  
"I'm doing fine. Just a little sore, that's all."  
Four guys came inside and you spotted a dazed Makoto on the back /He's still at it, huh?\  
"Nee, nee, [name]-Chan; I brought you some delicious ice cream to make you feel better!" He handed over a bag and you nodded a thank you.  
"We missed you at school [name]-Chan. Before the incident, I had planned to show you how the swim club activities worked. Like some sort of tour. But…" Gou stared grimly at your ankle.  
"It's no problem. In two weeks I'll be allowed to walk with crutches, so I'll make sure to pass by" Certain relief washed over their faces. /Could they have really missed me that much…?\

An hour and a half of talking and laughing went flying by. Gou and the boys had gotten themselves comfortable and sat down on the floor, making a half circle shape around you. Nagisa brought up something about Rei's past, when he forgot his underpants in the bathroom (he was in elementary school at the time). Rei flushed at the memory and begged him to stop. You'd never felt this good while talking to someone. It almost felt natural to you. But all the while, you could see the uneasiness in Makoto's expression. You noticed the subtle glances he'd make at you ankle. There was no telling what was making him so uncomfortable. Suddenly you had an idea. Maybe you _could _find out what was bothering him.  
"Well, I think we should let her rest now. Let's get going." Gou stood up and everyone else followed. "See you later [name]-Chan!" She waved goodbye and went out the door. The guys bowed down respectfully and made their way out the room. /Now's my chance!\  
Nanase-San! Could…could you stay for a moment?" Both he and Makoto stared. Haruka looked at his best friend, as if to receive a comfirmation.  
"It's alright. I'll head on to my house then." His voice was insecure and hesitant. He looked at you briefly before closing the door behind him.  
"What is it?" He asked blunty.  
"I…I just wanted to know what's going on with Tachibana-San; and since you're his best friend, well…"  
"You thought I could have answers?"  
He stared blankly at you for a moment and then sat on the floor. "It's a long story."  
"I have time."  
"*Sigh* When Makoto was little, he had become friends with a very old fisherman. He was kind, and cared deeply for Makoto." He paused for a moment and raised his eyes from the floor, to you. "Then, one day, there was a big storm, and the sea became wildly dangerous. Much so, that the ships that were out on the ocean, sank; drowning the people inside them. The old fisherman…well…he had gone fishing that day."  
"He…died?" Your stomach churned as the image formed in your mind.  
"Yes. Ever since then, Makoto has been terrified of the ocean."  
"I…" You looked at your hands. "I didn't know"  
"So yesterday-" He went on, "-When he saw you drowning, his first reaction was to go in after you; but once he reached the shore, his body froze. The sight of the raging water reminded him of that day. The day the old fisherman drowned in the ocean."  
"But, who rescued me, then?"  
"Rei and I dove in to get you. Once you were out, however, you weren't breathing. Makoto didn't want to feel useless, so he rushed in to give you CPR. But the thought of not being able to go after you still haunts his mind."  
/He gave me mouth to mouth?!\ Despite the seriousness of the matter, you couldn't help but redden at the thought. "I see. Yeah, I get it now. Thanks Nanase-San."  
"Haruka."  
"Pardon?"  
"You can call me Haruka-San."  
"Hehehe. Well, if it's fine with you, then alright. By the way Haruka-San, I never thought you could talk this much." His face turned sour and he stared off to the side, making you chuckle a bit. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this. You were of great help Nana-, I mean, Haruka-San." It took him a while to look at you and nod a response. Then he stood up and left out the door.  
/So that's why he seemed so upset.\ You flopped back onto the bed and a determined expression grew on your face. /Then I know what I have to do now.\  
As the day came to an end, you had already made your preparations and went to sleep.

It was Tuesday evening, and you stood in front of the Tachibana residence. Your whole body racked with nervousness. The doctor had strictly advised you not to get out of bed until two weeks passed. But this had to be done; you had to clear things up with Makoto. It was then when you decided to take your crutches and limp your way over to Makoto's house. /I hope he's home.\  
You rang the doorbell and waited.  
Almost immediately, a fair looking woman opened the door.  
"Oh. Now what could such a nice looking lady be doing here at this hour?" There was no doubt that this was Makoto's mom. She had the same droopy eyes as him.  
"I'm very sorry to intrude ." You bent over politely and ended up leaning on your bad ankle. Even though the pain was sharp, you made your best attempt to conceal it. "Is Makoto-San home, by any chance?"  
"Oh, yes, by all means. Please, come inside."  
"Ah, if you don't mind, I'd prefer to talk outside."  
"Of course, I'll call him right away." She smiled and returned to the inside of the house. You fidgeted with your crutches for a while until his warm voice startled you.  
"[n-name]-San?! You're not supposed to be out of bed!" He said worriedly.  
"Don't worry, this won't take long."  
"Huh?"  
"Would you care to go for a small walk, Tachibana-San?" He just stared in confusion. "Please?" He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.  
"Okay then." And so you started your way down the street as Makoto followed close.  
You almost lost your footing after a few steps and he grabbed your arm.  
"M-maybe you should head back to your house."  
"It's okay." He steadied you up a little and you kept walking.  
After a deep breath, you began to talk, "I know what's been bothering you, Tachibana-San."  
"Wh-"  
"Last Sunday, when I was drowning; you froze up before even entering the water." You stopped to look at him, "You are afraid of the ocean, aren't you?"  
His eyes widened in surprise and shame, "How did you…?"  
"Tachibana-San. I know you feel guilty about not being able to get me out of the water, but you still saved me. I was dying and you…you gave me CPR…" Both of you blushed at the words. "I'm alive. And it's all thanks to you. To _all_ of you."  
He stared at the ground with a somewhat disgusted expression. A face that you never thought he could make. "It's not enough." He tightened his fist.  
"But why?"  
"You probably didn't know; but what happened to me that day, happened to me before."  
"Huh?"  
"The swim club made a field trip to another island. We were going to try out a new training regimen that involved swimming in the ocean. We were all doing well, but Rei was feeling left behind. He felt that he needed to catch up with us, so he decided to train secretly at night. Unfortunately, a sudden storm came that night and Rei began to drown." By this point, his voice started to shake, "I was this first to notice, so I went in to save him; but as soon as I saw him…his terrified face…"  
"He reminded you of the fisherman…" You tightened the grip on your crutches. He looked like he was about to cry.  
"Don't you get it? Two people I know have been in danger of drowning…and not once was I able to save them."  
A faint tear trickled down his cheek. The sight of him crying formed a knot in your throat. You knew that as soon as you opened your mouth, the tears would come; but you had to help him get over this fear. Limping to his side, you rested your arms on your crutches and grabbed both his hands.  
"Tachibana-San, you can't let this fear consume you forever." And down came the tears…  
"Stop focusing on the past and start staring at the present; at the future. You have friends now, people you need to take care of. If you keep letting the past drag you on like this, you'll never get over what happened that day. I'm sorry about what happened to the fisherman; I know you really cared for him and I'm sorry for that. However, it was not the ocean's fault that he died that day! Sometimes, things are just meant to go that way, whether we like it or not. But it's the hard situations that are meant to make us stronger, to shape us into stronger beings." You cupped your hand on his cheek and rubbed his tears away. "You're a wonderful person, you are capable of growing stronger and stronger if you wish to do so; but that strength can only develop if you move forward and stop dragging your feet."  
His eyes grew wide at your comforting words. "Do you think…I can do it?"  
You smiled widely, "I know you can do it…Makoto."  
He realized that this was the first time you had ever called him by his first name and smiled. His body bent down until his head reached your shoulder, "Thanks [name]…"  
You held his head, stroking his soft, olive hair as he nuzzled his head on the crease between your neck and your shoulder. His silent sobs of breath tickled your skin. Even though he was a bit heavy, you would hold him as long as it was necessary for him to calm down a bit. So there you stood, comforting one another, until you both cried yourselves out. He straightened up and dried his eyes and you did the same.  
"You can't walk all the way to your house with that sore ankle."  
"I'll manage."  
"It wouldn't be nice of me to let a lady walk in these conditions. H-here." He held you by the arm and grabbed the crutches. "Hold these."  
"What are you…?!" He picked you up in a princess like position and walked to your house. "T-Tachibana-San!" You blushed heavily.  
"From now on, you can call me Makoto. And don't worry, this is the least I could do to make up to you." He smiled warmly with a hint of red on his cheeks.  
"Fine…" You gave up and rested your head onto his chest. /His heartbeat is so fast and powerful. It's really comforting…\ You smiled. /Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

He put you down at the front door of your house.  
"Sorry for the trouble, Makoto."  
"It was no trouble at all. I'll see you soon [name]-Chan."  
"Bye." You veered to the door and felt a hand grab your shoulder. "What is it?"  
"One more thing…" He leaned in and planted a warm kiss on your cheek, making your face flare up instantly. "Thank you, [name]-Chan, for taking care of me." The warmth of his whispering voice mesmerized you, leaving you speechless.  
Once he saw your surprised face, he flushed deeply and flustered, "A-anyway, I have to get going now, so, bye!" He turned and walked away.  
Your face remained hot at the memory of his kiss. Your shaking hand reached your cheek; your body trembled as you slowly parted your lips to say, "There's no way that just happened…"  
Oh, but it did.


	5. Don't Look at Me Like That

Thanks for the ride mom."  
"No problem honey. Be careful, you don't want to hurt your ankle even more."  
"I will." You got out of the car; crutches in hand; and took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd say this; but I'm glad to be back in school."  
The two weeks of recuperation had gone by faster than expected. The days became easier to tolerate, what with Gou and the swim club coming by every now and then to keep you entertained. Even Rin visited you a few times along with his little sister. He still gave you the creeps, but he was actually pretty fun to be around. One thing's for sure though; the memory of Makoto's kiss had not yet dissipated from your remembrance. Every time he came by with the boys, you acted as if nothing had happened. That didn't mean, however, that your heart wasn't going crazy on the inside. You were having a hard time deciding whether you liked him or not. Well, obviously, you did (who wouldn't?), but did you feel something stronger for him? You had discarded the thought immediately, noting that you still practically knew nothing about him as a person. /That's right; you can't say you love somebody until you know them completely\.  
The bell rang and you made your way inside.

All day, you were showered with stares and questioned about what had happened to you; and all the time you answered the same way; "It was just a small accident, nothing more," It was tiresome and not soothing in the least; let alone with the fact that you weren't used to it (Though it was nice to see them being nice to you). Luckily, Gou was there to rescue you almost every time.  
You both ate lunch together (Along with Hana-San), and after school, you would go to see the swim club practice together, just like you promised.

It wasn't your first time seeing the boys half-naked, but it sure as heck didn't cease to amaze you. Nagisa's calf muscles; Haruka's signature triceps; Rei's beautiful deltoids; and last, but certainly not least, Makoto's godly back muscles. /Oh Lord, Gou's obsession is getting to me\.  
A calm, beautiful afternoon; semi-nude hot guys getting soaked in a pool right before your very eyes; your day couldn't get better than this. Well, maybe if you still didn't have a cast on your leg.  
"Great job, guys! Rei, your butterfly stroke is looking better. Keep it up!" Gou had changed from frantic, muscle-loving girl, to totally serious, swim coach. /When did she change into that jacket anyway?\. "Good! Makoto-Sempai your stroke is much stronger than before!" She went on, complimenting the boys and cheering them on. She might be a strange person, but seeing her like this, made you admire her a little bit more.  
Sightseeing was great and all, but there was nothing much to do in your conditions; hence, you grabbed your bag and sat down carefully next to the fence. /Maybe I can try and finish that book today\, you thought reaching into your bag.  
"Hey." You looked up to the soaking giant before you.  
"Hello, Makoto." You smiled, putting your bag on the ground.  
"Why are you so far away? Wouldn't you rather be over there with the rest of us?" He crouched down to your eye level. /GOSH, those are gorgeous green eyes.\  
"Hehe, yeah…but I can't stay up for too long; otherwise I'll be forced to lean on my bad leg."  
"Aha, I guess you're right." He adorably rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd love to join you, but I have to practice."  
"It's no problem, practice is more important. I'll just stay here and read my book."  
He smiled meekly and patted the top of your head, "Alright, if you say so." Precisely at that moment, you both received a brief recollection of that Tuesday evening's happening. The blush was now visible on your faces.  
"R-right. Enjoy your book."  
"Yeah…" You traced every inch of his being as he carried himself off to the pool.  
It was hard to keep your cool when he got close like that. /Dang it, I need to cool my head off a bit\.  
"Gou, I'll be right back."  
"[Name]-Chan, is there something wrong?"  
"Nah. I just forgot something in the classroom."  
"Okay then. Wait- Nagisa! Stop fooling around and practice!" You chuckled and made your way outside.  
"Oof!" You bumped into someone at the moment you opened the door. "S-sorry…ah! Matsuoka-San?"  
"What are you doing here, little girl?" /Little girl?!\  
"Gou invited me to see the swim club."  
"Is that so? Then why are you leaving?"  
"Oh, well…" You couldn't possibly tell him the truth. "I forgot something at the classroom and I'm going to get it back."  
He eyed you carefully. "Alright, then I'll go with you." /What?!\  
"No! No, I…I can go by myself."  
"No way, if you fall nobody will be there to help you. C'mon."  
"Bu-but…" Your stammering was of no use, since he was already walking toward the school building. /Why me…?\

"Find it yet?"  
"N-nope! I'm sure it's around here." You had been searching for the phantom object during almost eight minutes; all for the sake of preserving your secret. "I think it's not here. I might as well forget about it then." Rin halted you at the entrance to the classroom.  
"We'll find it. We just have to look harder."  
"Fine…"  
Rin returned to the hallway and detained his steps mid-way, "What are we looking for, exactly?"  
"Um…" /Crud. Crud. Crud. Crud\. "Well…it's a…uh…"  
He moved closer and fixed his eyes on yours. "You didn't really lose anything, did you?"  
"*Gulp* …..no…"  
He sighed and passed a steady hand through his silky hair, which ended up poised on the back of his neck (a motion that you found sexy, in a way). "Tell me the truth then; why did you leave?"  
"Well…it's just that the boys, well…"  
"You're still not used to seeing boys in swimsuits?"  
"Y-yeah! That's it." No it wasn't.  
He laughed a little (which made the shark teeth look appealing, rather than scary), then calmed down and grinned at you. "Haha, that's actually kind of cute. There aren't many girls as pure as you." Pure? Hah, yeah right. "That's weird though." He resumed.  
"What is?"  
"I always saw you as an easygoing person among guys. Heh. Well, I guess everyone has their limits, right?"  
"Yeah, I guess."  
He ruffled your hair with a smile and stepped toward the exit, "Well, come on then; you don't want to disappoint your friends, right?"  
"No! I'm coming." You held on tight to the support of your wooden crutches and went to his side.  
He was a very weird person. Frightening, at first glance (you know, with the pointy teeth and the menacing glare), but mellow on the inside. His expression couldn't be read with ease. All the same, it was easy to get along with him once he opens up to you. You couldn't help feeling bad about lying to him…twice…  
"Matsuoka-San?"  
"Hm?"  
"Sorry for lying to you." Twice.  
"It's in the past, no use worrying about it." He said nonchalantly.  
"No, really…I don't like lying to people. It's just that, well, I felt a little stupid about myself."  
"Pfft! Hahahahahahahhaha!"  
"I wasn't trying to be funny." You remarked with annoyance.  
"I'm sorry! You're just so innocent; really just forget about it, okay?"  
He looked at you with that sharp grin of his plastered on his face. "Okay then." You answered with a smile.

"[Name]-Chan!" Nagisa came running at you. "What are you doing off by yourself with Rin-Chan? You were supposed to watch us swim!" He pouted at you, clearly disappointed.  
"Sorry Nagisa. I just had to go out for a bit and ran into Matsuoka-San in the way. I'll make it up to you, really"  
"You better! If not, I won't forgive you." He nuzzled his head playfully into your shoulder. /Just like a little brother\.  
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Gou inquired curiously. /She had to ask\.  
"I…"  
"She did. Don't worry, I helped her." Rin looked at you and winked. You replied with a thankful smile.  
"It's almost dinner time, so why don't we eat out?" You suggested.  
"Yayy! Let's eat pizza!" Nagisa hollered.  
"I vote for mackerel."  
You all laughed heartily at Haruka's straightforward words. You spotted Makoto staring at you from the side; a warm smile on his lips. And even though your heart pounded against your chest at the sight, you managed to smile back bashfully.

/When will I get used to this?\


	6. Showering Emotions

The patter of rain against the window resounded inside the grim atmosphere of the classroom. The sky shook and grumbled with thunder as the breeze cradled the trees from one side to the other. The whole class waited impatiently for the teacher to conclude the last class of the day. You didn't mind though. The rabid howls of the rain always soothed you. You loved the rain; what was bothering you, in fact, was the conversation you had with Gou a few days ago, while walking down the school hallways. And no matter how much you attempted to shake it off, the words still echoed inside your head:

_"__I know you have a crush on Makoto-Sempai." She proclaimed without even looking at you._

_ "__What?"_

_ "__It's obvious!" She smiled and stopped her pace in front of you. "I can see the way you ogle all over him. And your eyes shine every time he's near. I don't blame you though; he has very impressive muscles!" /Again with the muscles?!\._

_Your stomach clenched at the truth spilling out of her words, "B-but…why are you telling me this so suddenly?"_

_ "__Hehe. Because I have a plan."_

_ "__A plan?"_

_ "__To get you two together!" She resumed her walk with a certain hop to her step; and you followed._

_ "__No, that's impossible. Besides…I don't think he feels the same way." You glanced at your dragging feet. "He's too good for me."_

_ "__*Siiiiiiiiigh* Quit saying those horrid things about yourself." Her huge, red eyes smiled at you, "Think positive, [name]-Chan; everything will turn out alright."_

_/I hope so\. Once you exited the school, you veered to her and asked, "Then what's your plan?"_

_She giggled, "A movie night at Makoto-Sempai's house."_

_ "__At...his house?"_

_ "__Yup! Golden Week is coming up, so we can go this Friday after school. Don't worry; the whole club will be there."_

_ "__And that will help me get closer to him, how?"_

_ "__It won't be just any movie night. It will be a HORROR movie night. And YOU will sit next to him."_

You sighed at the flashback. /I can't believe I let myself get into this\. Today was the movie day and your heart racked with nervousness. You weren't afraid of horror movies. They were thrilling and very entertaining to watch. The problem resided in the fact that you were going to watch it right beside your crush. /It's alright; there will be more people with us, so there's no problem\, hopefully.

To your luck, the rain had simmered down to a light drizzle, so getting wet was no longer a problem. The problem was holding the umbrella while walking with crutches.

"Here, let me help you with that." Gou took the umbrella from your struggling hands and opened it above the two of you, just as the boys caught up to your stride.

The walk was comforting and nice. You joined in the conversation that consisted mostly of swimming and something about the regionals.

"That's right. Miss [name], do you by any chance know how to swim?" Rei questioned as he fixed his glasses. You could feel their eyes upon your skin and the shyness crawled up your throat once again.

"W-well, I did take classes when I was little. I was very good in fact. But after a while, I decided to quit since it was getting in the way of my studies."

"If you don't love the water hard enough, then you're not meant to swim."

"Haru!" Makoto shot a worrisome glare at his blue-eyed friend.

Right, these guys were super passionate about swimming. You knew that you didn't stand a chance against them when it came to water. Yeah, they were pros. "He's right. I've never been particularly good at sports anyway." You half-shrugged your aching shoulders, "It's just not my thing."

"Don't worry [name]-Chan! Gou-Chan doesn't swim either and she still hangs out with us!" Nagisa patted your back.

"It's Kou! And what's that supposed to mean anyway?!" She hollered at the quirky blonde and you all laughed (except Haruka).

"Don't mind him, Gou-Chan. You and [name] are both our friends." Makoto smiled and your heart squeezed against your chest. "Oh, we're here." He announced and you all entered the house after him.

This was the first time you had come inside a boy's home, so you were both flustered _and_ excited. /It smells just like him\ you giggled internally.

"Come in the living room. Mom and dad went out with my brother and sister, so we have the house all for ourselves." He went into the kitchen and returned after a few minutes with some popcorn and snacks in his hands. "Nagisa, did you bring the movie?" He asked while setting down the food on a small table that stood ahead of the sofa.

"Of course!" Nagisa hopped forward and gently inserted the disc into the CD player. Of course, the curtains were closed and the lights turned off for extra spookiness (according to Gou).

"[Name], Here, sit next to me." She gestured at the space between her and, of course, Makoto. /Here goes then\ you clenched your fist and sat down slowly, putting the crutches on the floor. As the movie started, you felt a bit of uneasiness coming from your right.

"Makoto, don't you like scary movies?"

"N-n-no! I mean….I'm okay." /So he _is _afraid. That's adorable\. You chuckled lowly.

"Your friends are here so you're safe." You softly patted his hand and it shook under your touch.

"Yeah…"

Twenty minutes of film had passed. A shriek came from the TV and Makoto quickly held onto Haruka's shirt. You didn't know that he could be scared so easily, the movie wasn't even that good. You looked around and saw Nagisa and Rei sleeping on the floor; Gou was halfway there and Haruka was focused on the movie. You were feeling drowsy yourself. /Maybe I should close my eyes for a moment\. You fluttered your eyelids closed and rested for a few moments. The TV was still audible, but the heaviness of sleep was growing stronger. Suddenly, your head tilted to the side and fell on Makoto's shoulder by accident.

"Oh! Sorry…" You noticed instantly and sat up straight.

"…I..I don't mind…if it's you." Your eyes widened a bit as you stared at him. It was almost unnoticeable, but the blush on his face was faintly visible under the dim light emanating from the television.

"Okay..." With his permission, you lowered your head once more onto his shoulder. /He smells so good\.

Another sound came from the movie and he covered his eyes "Aghh!" Seeing him like this almost made you feel like hugging him tightly. But you couldn't do that. No, that'd be way too embarrassing. But you could at least comfort him with your words.

"Makoto." He looked at you; his body shaking visibly. "It's just a movie. I know it's scary but you don't have to be worried about it."

"[Name]." His voice made you shiver. It was soft and pleasant. Again, you looked around and saw that everyone else had fallen asleep, Including Haruka. You were all alone. You narrowed your eyes in thought and realized that this was your chance. /Should I?…yeah, I think I should tell him now\.

Steadily, your lips parted and whispered, "You know, there's this thought that has been bothering me for a while…something that I just couldn't figure out whether it was true or not. At first, I thought it was just me being a girl, but now…there's no way around it." You looked up to meet his questioning gaze. "I….I like you, Makoto…I like you way more than a friend would."

His expression was indescribable. Maybe it was just the darkness surrounding the room, but you couldn't read his face at all. You sat up and looked down at your lap with shyness. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I am perfectly aware that I'm not that pretty or great; and I know we haven't known each other that long…but I just had to get that out of my system." And it _was_ out; the words had, once and for all, been expelled into existence. You _had _to be half asleep because there's no way that you'd be confessing while wide awake.

He remained silent and you wouldn't tare take a look at him. /Maybe I shouldn't have done that. Maybe I just ruined our friendship by speaking to early\. You bit the inside of your lip and spoke, "Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll just head home now." You bent down to grab a hold of your crutches, when your hand was grabbed and your whole body was forced to turn around by two pairs of strong hands.

"Wh-?!" A warm feeling came upon your lips. It took a few seconds for your eyes to adjust to see Makoto's face before yours. The warmth on your lips became stronger and stronger; the hands on your arm and back hugged you gently and pulled you closer. Your hands unconsciously wrapped around the huge body that embraced you with such fragility.

Amidst all the heat and confusion, it was hard for you to accept the fact that you were actually being kissed.

After an approximate ten seconds, you both parted and gasped for air. Your cheeks raged with redness and there was no doubt that he was under the same conditions.

"I'm sorry. I just…it was a sudden impulse." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and stared up at you. "Let me do this the right way." His hand crept up to yours and grabbed it. "[Last name] [First name]…w-would you like to go out with me?" His green eyes fixated onto your [eye color] ones.

/This is really happening?!\ Your insides melted at the question and you nodded your head slowly.

"Yes, yes I would."


	7. Remember

"TELL. ME. EVERYTHING." The burgundy haired girl had been lurking all over you ever since you set foot inside the café. You were beginning to regret telling her about what had happened yesterday between you and Makoto. But she was your friend; you couldn't just dismiss her like that.

"I already told you," You replied with a sigh, "I confessed and he asked me out; nothing special." But you knew pretty darn well it _was_ special. Never in your life had you been asked out by a boy until now. And what's more; he was perfect, in _every _way you could possibly contemplate. You sure were lucky.  
"Aggh!" She sat back down on her seat, "I can't believe I was actually _there_ when it happened and still didn't get to see anything!"  
"You _weren't _supposed to see."  
"You're so picky, [name]-Chan." Her eyes glistened for a moment and she quickly bent over to grab your hands. "But I'm so happy that you found someone special. It's your first boyfriend!" The word _'boyfriend' _sent a shiver down your spine, that was both uncomfortable and pleasant.  
"H-he's not my boyfriend-"  
"-_Yet._" She cut you off, mid-sentence; but you just twitched your eye and resumed, "We're just going out to get to know each other better."  
"What about the kiss then?"  
Right…the kiss. A hint of red rushed to your cheeks; the memory of Makoto's passionate kiss, still new and fresh on your lips.  
"He said it was just a sudden impulse."  
"He must really like you a lot." Gou curled her mouth into a smile.  
You could only reply with a blush.

The café was fairly quiet today; the lack of human presence, lowering your nervousness a little bit. Warm rays of sun cut right through the clearness of the glass windows, buttering your skin with warmth. Even the birds were up and wandering amongst the pale clouds; a perfect day for a date.  
The vibrations from your cell phone snatched you away from your trance. You grabbed it to see who it was.  
"It's Makoto." Gou eagerly bent over to see the text, but you pulled the phone away from her view.  
The text read:  
_ 'Just checking to see if the date is still on?"_  
You grinned and texted back:  
_ 'Of course; see you after your swimming practice :)"_  
The phone vibrated almost instantly /That was fast\:  
_ 'I'll be waiting _ヽ( ´ 7`)ﾉ' /Hehehe. Cute\.  
"Your eyes are really shining, [name]-chan." Gou remarked teasingly.  
"Shut it." You pouted playfully at her and chuckled.

It was the first time you had ever been to Samezuka Academy. It was _big._  
Since it was the beginning of Golden Week, Iwatobi High was closed. It was a good thing that Rin could provide access to Samezuka's indoor pool for the boys to practice.

Once you limped inside, you saw that Haruka and Rei were doing a few laps around the pool. /Wow, this is way bigger than the pool at Iwatobi\.  
"[Name]-Chaaaaan!" Nagisa came running towards you, all sopping wet. /Oh no\. You braced yourself for the soaked hug. When it didn't come, you opened your eyes, revealing the fact that Nagisa was now ensnared in Rin's arms.  
"Nagisa, I'm pretty sure you don't want to drench a girl who's dressed up so nicely, do you?" The shark glared down at the small blonde.  
"Awww. But I want to hug [name]-Chan."  
"Maybe some other time, Nagisa-Kun." You faced Rin and asked, "Have you seen Makoto?"  
"He hurried off to the changing rooms a while ago." He paused for a moment, as if realizing something, "You going somewhere?"  
"[Name]-Chan and Mako-Chan are going out on a daaaaate." Nagisa teased; your heart, squeezing at his amusement.  
"It's not exactly a date. We're just hanging out."  
Rin's shoulder cringed almost imperceptibly. Just when you parted your lips to ask if he was okay, Makoto rushed in from the changing rooms. He panted faintly and straightened up to look at you.  
"You look very pretty." Though part of you didn't actually believe that statement, you thanked him anyways. /Mental note: remember to thank Gou for the makeover later\.  
"Well, let's go." He led the way out after saying goodbye to the rest of the crew.

"Your family really seems nice." You said before gnawing on the ice cream Makoto had generously bought for you (though you insisted you could pay for it).  
"Well, Ren and Ran are really great kids; but they can be a handful sometimes. They just can't sit still."  
"Hahaha. They sound cute; I'd like to meet them sometime."  
"Yeah." He chuckled.  
Your shoulders screamed with pain after walking for such a long time, so you had decided to sit down by the bay and watch the sun as it slowly slid down the sky. It had been an amazing day and you felt like you were really getting to know Makoto a lot better than before. He's mature, but can also be childish sometimes (which was pretty darn endearing). He's kind of a scaredy cat when it comes to ghosts, too. But one thing was for sure; he was very protective over those he loved, and there wasn't anything that he loved more in the world, than to swim alongside his friends.  
"What about_ your_ family?" His question broke your line of thought.  
"Oh, uh. Well…" You looked down at the ice cream wrapper within your fingers. You had never spoken about your personal life before, so this was a huge obstacle for you to face. Makoto probably took awareness of that, because he grabbed shoulder and looked into your eyes.  
"[Name]?"  
"S-sorry. It's just…" You forced a smile as you resumed, "Well my family is almost normal. Mom is a good cook and she's a caring woman. But dad…well…he only cares about work, so he's not home a lot; I barely get to see him at all. Heh, I guess you could say that my relationship with him has reduced considerably." You tightened your grip around the wrinkled wrapper. "It feels like he doesn't even care about us anymore; this has been going on ever since I was little. I keep telling mom that she should leave him…but she says that she just loves him too much." /Yeah, love is a hazardous feeling to have\. "I know it's selfish of me to tell her that, but I just feel that he's dragging us down. Because of him, we've been forced to leave the people we love, behind. Never to see them again; and I just can't get myself to respect him anymore, he's always been a stranger to me."  
Makoto's face scanned yours thoroughly. He was most likely feeling bad for you.  
"Just forget it. I'm already used t-" His sudden embrace shocked you a bit, but after a while, you just let it sink in.  
"At a moment like this, I really wish there was something I could say; but I can't find the right words. Sorry…this is the best I can do."  
You smiled and hugged him back. "Don't feel useless, Makoto. Just hearing me out is more than enough for me; I really appreciate it."

The sun was starting to set. A breathtaking mix of oranges and purples, painted themselves across the heavens. The sight was so pretty; the moment was so perfect. Still, you could only ask yourself ; why did such a humble and beautiful person set their eyes on someone like you? You were nowhere _near_ a fitting person to stand by his side; so why?  
You shook your head slightly,/Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up\. You couldn't let your negativity consume you at a time like this. Your bodies blended; consuming each other with heat and affection. Your breaths were in sync, perfectly beating alongside one another; and you felt the way his large chest pulsated against yours. He was truly captivating. /I wouldn't mind falling asleep like this\. The sudden concept boiled your face with embarrassment. /I'm glad he can't read my mind\.  
"Ah!" You remembered something and quickly looked at your watch. The abrupt movement startled Makoto and he let go of you. "Sorry. I forgot that mom wanted me to buy groceries before heading home."  
Makoto handed you your crutches before asking, "Should I go with you?"  
"No, I'll be okay on my own."  
"But your leg…"  
"I've rested long enough, so I think I can manage it." The preoccupation was evident in his eyes. You smiled and kissed his cheek, in hopes of easing his thoughts. "If anything goes wrong, I'll call you, okay?"  
He flushed before nodding, "O-okay."  
"See you soon, then."  
"Bye." He smiled brightly at you with a bit of pink still covering his cheeks; and you walked away.

/I sure hope I didn't forget anything\. You hung the bags on your shoulders before making your way back home.  
You tilted your head upwards for a moment, just to contemplate the brisk night sky. It was nice and chilly, and the air was calm. /I can't let this sight go to waste\. Hence, you decided to take a little detour for the park.  
It was quiet and relaxing. /I'm glad Gou showed me this park; it's so private\. You thought while taking a deep breath of fresh air.  
However, a few steps into the park, you heard a weird noise. /Sobbing?\. You surveyed the area and spotted a figure on one of the benches. It could've been dangerous, but you still headed toward the person with hesitation.  
"Wait…Matsuoka-San?!" He shook at the sound of your voice, but remained in his current crouched position. "Matsuoka-San, what's wrong?!"  
He pushed your hand away with a swift motion, "Go away!" He obviously didn't want you to see him in that state; but there was no way you were leaving him there like that.  
"Matsuoka-San, I am not going to leave you until you tell me what's wrong." You cupped your hand around his cheek and lifted his face to your eye-level. The tears were brimming from his eyes nonstop, and he averted your gaze. Rin was such a laid back person, so this was definitely a shocking sight to see; but you kept your cool for his sake. "Matsuoka-San, you can tell me. I swear I won't say a word..."  
His eyes finally collided with yours and his breathing leveled up a bit.  
"...It's my dad."  
"What? Your dad?"  
"I'm sure you didn't know this, but he died a long time ago. He was an excellent swimmer; the best ever." The mention of his words tensed your body. /Oh gosh I really didn't know\. You listened on, "I tried to continue his dream of being an Olympic swimmer, thereby, I went to Australia to strengthen my abilities. Sadly, I ran into an emotional wall, and couldn't keep going."  
"Matsuoka-San…"  
"Thankfully, Haruka and the others made me realize something; that I should follow my own dream." He looked at the clouds overhead. "And I want to…for dad…"  
You frowned a bit, "So what's wrong?"  
"I'm…I'm not sure if I can do it…I'm afraid. Afraid of hitting another wall; afraid of failing again." He looked up at you, the tears forming once more in his eyes. "What if I can't do it? I would become a failure; I would fail dad…"  
He sure was serious. And you, better than anyone, knew how bad it felt to be scared due to past events. Eventually, though, you learned to come by; and Rin had to do the same.  
"Matsuoka-San-" He stared at you as you spoke. "-There's no way you can move on if you keep worrying of what might happen. The only wall you could ever face in your journey is yourself. _You're_ the sole person that is able to decide what stops you and what doesn't. So please; for your dad, _and _for yourself, just keep moving forward and don't you dare stop."  
"You think..I can do it?" His voice broke.  
A smile crossed your face, "Of course you can."  
His eyes glimmered at you for a few moments; then, he closed them and lowered his head onto your shoulder.  
A very faint, "Thank you," came from his lips. "You're a great friend, [last name]-San."

He cried silently into your shoulder, and you let him; crying along with him yourself. You allowed him to expel every single drop of emotion; to let go of every speck of regret and hesitation he had inside his being…until he was all dried out.


	8. The Fall of The Shark

"Ready…GO!"  
A splash followed behind Gou's starting signal, sending hundreds of water droplets your way. You smiled and covered your face.

The swimming competition was rapidly closing in, thus increasing the training intensity for the boys. The more you watched, the more you couldn't believe how they could actually put up with that much physical labor. The mere thought of doing exercise exhausted you. /I'm really out of shape. Maybe I should try jogging in the evenings..\  
"Miss [name]?"  
"Ah, Rei. I mean, Ryugazaki-Kun! I mean…"  
"Call me whatever you please." He stated with a slight smile. "I was just wondering…well, we were ALL wondering…if you would fancy coming to watch us at the Prelims Competition next week?"  
You grinned widely and replied, "I think that goes without saying."  
"If you're not there, then I won't forgive you [name]-Chan!" Nagisa hollered from the pool.  
"We're counting on you." Makoto added.  
"Guys…"  
"No time for chit-chat, people! Hurry back to that pool and finish your warm up laps!" Gou bossed, and they all obeyed immediately. "In the meantime; [name], I know you're not in perfect conditions yet, but do you mind heading into the locker room and bringing me some of the cold drinks in the cooler?"  
"No problem. I could use some limb stretching anyway."  
"I appreciate it."  
You rose up from your spot beside the fence with ease (since you didn't need the crutches anymore), and limped away into the locker room; catching a tiny glimpse of Makoto's swimming before entering.

Four times you had gone out with Makoto (in addition to the first one), and they had all been fantastic. No kidding, he was indubitably the sweetest, humblest, most caring and adorable guy in the universe (seriously, not exaggerating). And you actually felt like there was now a deeper bond between the two of you. But…could you actually go further than that? Sure, you _did _kiss; but it was just because of the moment. However, despite the attempts of getting to know each other; were you two compatible? What if you were not enough for him…if it didn't turn out like you wanted it to? What if he ended up hating you…?  
/Stop it\. You bit the inside of your lip to stop the haunting negativity. The dark thoughts that often roamed inside your consciousness had become more frequent; probably ever since you started hanging out with friends. A nasty habit you could never manage to get rid of. Always thinking bad about yourself, and degrading your own being; thinking that no matter what you did, you would always be less than everyone around you. You hoped that someday, you could stop thinking like that.  
"Hey."  
Your nerves jolted at the voice and you turned around to the blue eyes staring down at you.  
"O-oh, Haruka-San."  
"I'm thirsty." He noted, glancing at the drink in between your hands.  
"Here you go."  
"Thanks." Grabbing it from your fingers, he opened it and turned away, with that stoic sass of his. /I really can't read him at all\. You chuckled softly.  
Opening the door to the pool, he looked back over his shoulder. "You better be there…at the race."  
"…Haru…?"  
He must've noticed happiness in your profile, because he looked away swiftly and shut the door behind him.  
/He _does_ care\. You laughed lowly before heading outside yourself, drinks in hand.  
"[Name]-Chan, took you long enough. Okay everybody, grab a drink and take a short break! We're far from over." /Gou's attitude really differs when she is in coach mode\.  
One by one, the boys came out to grab a drink from you.  
"You all did great with your practice." Your voice shook a bit. /I can't stay cool around so many half-exposed males…\.  
"Yay! Praise me more, [name]-Chan!" Without a warning, Nagisa wrapped himself around you in a soaking wet hug.  
"Nagisa!" Your voice rose with slight irritation.  
"[Name]-Chaaaan…" He puppy eyed you and proceeded to nuzzle his head into your neck.  
It was futile. He was too cute not to give in to his pleadings. "Okay, okay. Good job, Nagisa-Kun." You patted his head almost hesitantly.  
"Now, Nagisa, that's enough. You're going to soak her." Makoto materialized from behind and put his hand on Nagisa's shoulder.  
"Ehhh?" He pouted. "You don't have to be jealous, Mako-Chan. I'm sure she'll give you a hug too!"  
"Ah!" You blushed and stared off to the side, not knowing what to say.  
"Th-that won't be necessary! C'mon let's get back to practice." Makoto looked at you and chuckled hopelessly at the occurrence.  
/Phew. That was way too close\. You sighed with relief and beheld as the boys, once again, dove gracefully into the pool. /How can someone swim so beautifully?\ You wondered with your eyes on Haruka. He almost seemed like he was slicing through the water. Sort of…like a fish.  
"I know. His triceps are amazing aren't they?" Gou asked you while she ogled all over their muscles.  
"They're pretty great."  
"I'm throwing a party this weekend for the boys, as a kind of encouragement before the competition. The place will be Haruka-Sempai's house." She peeped at you from the side, "You're invited too, you know?"  
"Me? A party?" You mulled it over momentarily. "I don't know, Gou.."  
"Please? This is very important for the boys."  
/Is it really that important for me to be there?\. "I'll try and make it then."  
She smiled warmly, "I'm happy to hear that, [name]-Chan; be there at 6:00p.m. sharp."

Saturday evening. 6:37p.m.  
"I'm late. Gou is going to kill me!" You thought out loud as you semi-jogged your way to Haruka's house (The cast didn't help much, though).  
Rounding off the corner you spotted someone at the bottom of the steps that led up to Haruka's house.  
"Makoto?" You approached him as he took his eyes of the kitten he was playing with.  
"Hey, [name]."  
"Why aren't you at Haru's house?"  
"Hehe. Well, it wouldn't be nice of me to let you go up alone with an injured leg, now would it?"  
"I guess not…sorry for the bother."  
He slowly grabbed your already trembling hands. "A simple '_thank you'_ is more than enough for me." The smile on his face almost melted your heart.  
Before taking the first step, you reflexively latched yourself onto his arm, the muscles clenching under your touch. /Hot dang\.  
"Alright, let's go."  
Once entering the house, you were greeted with the sound of laughter and the smell of fresh baked pizza. Every one of your friends gathered around the living room table and the door to the backyard was wide open, allowing the pre-nocturnal air to flow in. Rin and Amakata-Sensei were also there; as well as another man you hadn't seen before.  
"[name]-Chan! You're really late!" Gou's voice pierced your eardrums mercilessly.  
"Give me a break, Gou." It's not that easy to change with a cast on your leg…"  
She sighed, "Well, I can't argue with that. By the way; this here is Coach Sasabe."  
"Oh. Hello, my name is [last name][first name]. It's a pleasure to meet you." You bent down politely.  
"Ah, so you're the [last name]-San I've been hearing about! These boys have been telling me a lot of things about you."  
You blushed a bit, "I-is that so?"  
"Indeed they have! Hey, don't stand up for too long. Go on and take a seat."  
"Okay. You sheepishly sat on the open spot next to Rin. Makoto sat right beside you.  
"How've you been, little girl?" Rin smirked at you.  
"I'm fine, and you? Are you feeling better than before?"  
"Haha, of course." His eyes peered at you with a certain shine to them. "Your words got right through me. Don't worry; I won't be giving up on my racing any time soon."  
"I'm glad." You smiled widely, before turning your stare toward the rest of the people in the room.

It was almost eight o' clock now. The sun was down and the skies turned dark and concealing; a perfect ambience for someone as cautious as you. A chill lingered about, but that didn't stop you from conversing with your friends. Yes, you were actually talking with a lot of people. And you weren't even feeling all that shy. Well, maybe just a little bit. Yet, you were immersed in the conversation and all was going well. That was, of course, until Nagisa opened his mouth;  
"Hey [name]-Chan, when we win, you better give each one of us a congratulation kiss!"  
"Eh?"  
"That's a great idea!" Gou approved giddily. "How's that boys? No win…no kiss."  
"W-w-w-w-ait!" Your cheeks flushed deeply. "That's definitely _not _a prize worth winning for!"  
"What're you saying, [name]-Chan? The thought of getting kissed by you gets my blood rushing!"  
"N-Nagisa?!" Rei tried to calm him down a bit.  
"I think that's a bit too much on her…" Makoto mumbled, the deep red visible on his cheeks.  
"Hehe. I know you want [name]-Chan's kiss the most, right Mako-Chan? Even Haru-Chan knows." He looked at Haruka who only nodded a response.  
Yeah, your face was _really _red now.  
Everyone laughed while you and Makoto flustered with embarrassment. For some strange reason, Rin stood awfully quiet next to you.  
"Rin?" He immediately stood up and went outside.  
Everyone else noticed and looked at you, visually asking what had happened.  
"I'll go get him." And you followed behind.

It didn't take long to find Rin's tall figure close to the front door. His head bent back, staring aimlessly at the sky.  
"Rin, what's going on?"  
He slumped his head downwards and gave out a loud sigh; pursued by a crooked chuckle. "Well…my mind had been filled with these weird thoughts in the past few days. Thoughts I never gave importance to. Probably because I thought that they weren't true." His weigh shifted from one leg to the other. "But the more I tried to discard them, the more I realize that they _are _true and that I'm not just imagining things. And I don't care what everyone else says, what I feel is true. It's real….."  
Your head tilted to the side quizzically, "I don't get it. What are you trying to say?"  
Seconds of silence passed before he decided to approach you. Standing in front of you, he cautiously examined you with those intense eyes of his.  
"[Last name][first name], listen carefully because I'm only going to say this once."  
"What?"  
He leaned in close. The only light source was the dim glow that emerged from the distant lampposts and a shadow casted on one side of his face. But his eyes still glowed through the darkness. His breath was almost audible and so was your racing heartbeat. The intimidation crushed you and you definitely weren't well prepared when he parted his lips and said:

"I like you, [name]."


	9. Bittersweet Victory

Your current situation was one that you had only ever imagined inside your head; a wild fantasy that you never thought possible in your entire existence.  
_"I like you."_ He had whispered below the moonlit night. And your heart quivered. You weren't scared so much as complete and utterly confused.

"What?" The shakiness in your voice was almost as noticeable as the redness on your face.  
The boy drew in a slight amount of air; closing his eyes, and reopening them to lock with yours. The gaze was almost inescapable, it felt like you were trapped.  
"I don't know what it is about you that enthralls me." He exhaled in a low and, God help you, sexy tone. "Maybe it's the way you talk, or the way you treat people. I really don't know. But…at that time, when I was down and sought myself defeated… you came to my rescue. You brought me right back to my feet. And right then I though; 'She's really something isn't she?'"  
His stare never left yours the whole time, until he looked down and pulled his hand down; carefully rubbing his fingers against your hand. The burning sensation empowered by the touch almost made your heart skip a beat.  
"I feel…I _know_, that I can't afford to let you go."  
All kinds of sounds and noises came from your mouth, but despite your hardest attempts, none of them were actual words. Your cheeks raged with blood and the look on his face pulled you in. /What's going on?!\  
Right then, right there, it hit you; His face. Makoto's face took over your mind. /That's right…the one I like is Makoto. So what if Rin is amazingly good-looking? My heart, everything, belongs to _him_.\ The breath you exhaled was almost labored and you straightened your back; ready to answer.  
"Rin, I'm sorry. But I can't really accept your feelings. I just…well, I-"  
"You like Makoto."  
Your head turned like a reflex in surprise.  
"Well it is a bit obvious." He chuckled a bit, before turning serious and looking at you directly in the eye. He came closer to you before speaking, "But don't take me so lightly. I won't give up on you, [name]."  
The sound of your name coming out of his words felt good; almost satisfying. But you knew that you couldn't let this go on for too long. This had to be settled before it all got out of hand. But just before you spoke one more word, the front door cracked open.  
"[name]?" Oh no.  
"M-Makoto!" You turned quickly to make sure that Rin was still there, but he was already strolling down the steps. "Ah!" This was bad. The problem still hadn't been solved.  
"Rin?" Makoto called out to him.  
Almost a quarter of the way down, the hurried shark-boy came to a halt and whirled his head to eye you. "Keep what I told you, in mind, [name]." And with that, he departed.  
You stood there motionless. It wasn't until Makoto's presence came to your side that you came to.  
"[Name], what did you two talk about?" The look on his face was bit more serious than before; almost a bit angry.  
"Ah, he just gave me some tips on exercising, is all. I was thinking of getting myself back in shape." The lie tasted sour on your mouth.  
You hated lying, especially to Makoto; sweet and caring Makoto. You didn't mean any harm, really. But right now you felt like this was something you should just keep as a secret for a while.  
Still, his eyes remained dark; staring off to the direction where Rin left. Did he suspect something?  
"Makoto?" Your voice seemingly brought him back to his senses; and once again, he had his usual smile on his lips.  
"Let's go back inside."  
"Okay." When you put your hand on the handle, you felt something fall lightly upon your shoulder from aback. It was Makoto's head.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Please," He said faintly. "Whatever you do, don't leave me." His arms laced around your shoulders. "Please."  
He sounded vulnerable, nearly like he was about to fall apart. It made your heart tear in half; so you clutched his hand and placed it against your lips. Not a kiss, more like a sign of assurance.  
"I will."

The next day, you paced yourself aimlessly toward the school. Yesterday's occurrence didn't let you sleep as well as you should have. You knew that you weren't going to rest easy until you found a way to sort things out with Rin. The next time you would face him was going to be at the prelims competition (which was next week by the way). By then, you needed to have a plan on how to tell Rin the truth. /But how?\  
"[Name]-Chaaaaaan!" You almost lost your footing at Nagisa's hug.  
"Good morning Nagisa." You spotted the rest of the boys close behind.  
"[Name]-Chan, you seem a bit off. Something wrong?" Were you really that obvious? Then again…maybe it wasn't a bad idea that Nagisa found out about last night. In fact...  
"Nagisa, could we talk later after school?"  
"Hm? Ah, I get it! A special secret huh? Hehehe, count on me, [name]-Chan!"  
You smiled, "Alright, meet me later in classroom 1-B."  
"Roger!" He grinned and left to the school. "See you then!"  
The boys greeted you one by one and they all accompanied you until you were all inside.

"Now, [name]-Chan, what's the secret mission?"  
The sun was getting ready to set in the evening, so the room lit up with a hazily-yellow color. You examined Nagisa carefully before talking, "Nagisa, I'm going to tell you something really serious, but promise me that you won't tell anyone else."  
"Okay!"  
"Not a soul."  
"Yeah, I get it. Tell me, tell me." You sighed and looked at your feet.  
It took you a few minutes, but you told him _everything_; from you and Makoto; to the occurrence with Rin. To your surprise, he took it all in rather seriously.  
"What should I do? How should I approach him?"  
Nagisa sat for a moment in silence; his face a tad more analytical than usual.  
"[Name]-Chan, don't worry about how you're going to face him; just worry about what you feel on the inside. Don't hold back. Tell him everything. Of course he might feel let down at first, but you can't please both of them at once." He stood from the desk he was sitting on, and sat beside you. "The one you like the most is Mako-Chan right?"  
You nodded, "Yes."  
He smiled. "Then trust your feelings and let him down as nicely as possible."  
Your shoulders dropped down a bit with relief. "Thanks Nagisa-Kun. I think I feel a lot more confident now."  
"Hehe, anytime. Come on! Let's join the others at the pool."  
You followed behind him.  
At last your mind was set; next week, you would tell Rin that you really couldn't feel the same way he did. As much as it would pain you, it was the right thing to do. Hopefully, you could remain as friends.

It was time. The day of the Prelims Competition was today. The boys had trained really hard for this moment, and it was finally here.  
"Muscles; muscles everywhere!" Gou squealed with delight.  
"Calm down, Gou. We're here to cheer the boys on, remember?"  
"Ahem! Right; the medley relay isn't until after the individual events, so you have a while before it's your turn. Make sure to do your best out there, okay?"  
"Okay!" The boys all yelled in unison before we went inside.  
"Ah, you guys go ahead and save me a seat. I'm just going to go get a drink."  
"Alright. Meet you there, [name]-Chan."

It must've been at least ten minutes before you found the vending machine. /I swear; this place is HUGE.\ You exhaled after grabbing the soda. "I just hope I can get back."  
"Hey there, little girl." The voice startled you a bit and made your legs freeze on place.  
"R-Rin!"  
"Just wanted to tell you that you better cheer me on at the race." He remarked proudly.  
"Of course; I'll be cheering for _all_ of you." You squeezed the drink in your hands. "Rin, I have to tell-"  
"Matsuoka-Sempai! The coach is looking for you!" A short, gray-haired boy called out from afar.  
"I'll be right there." He looked at you. "You'll have to tell me later." Without notice, he planted a kiss on your forehead and ran off. " I'll be racing for you!"  
You touched the spot on your forehead. /I let him get away again.\ You thought with a blush. "Forget it, right now I have to get back before the race starts." You said out loud and walked down the halls.

It took about another fifteen minutes, but you made it.  
"[Name]-Chan, the boys are already getting changed, where were you?!" Gou hissed at you furiously.  
"S-sorry. I kinda got lost."  
"Ahhh, forget it. Right now it's brother's turn in the freestyle race."  
You looked down and located him just as he looked at you and waved. The gesture made you feel a bit uneasy.  
"Go, Onii-Chan, go!" Gou bellowed enthusiastically.  
The starting signal went off and they all jumped into the pool. /Rin is really fast…\ You examined as he got past every single swimmer with exceptional ease. And it was no surprise that he won.  
"He's soooo amazing isn't he!?" Gou was still excited about seeing her brother win.  
"Yes…he is."  
Next came the Medley relay and you waved as the Iwatobi boys came out. They all waved back excitedly at you (except Haru, who only raised his hand, but you knew that it actually meant a lot).  
Moments of preparation went by, until they gave the signal and the racers were off. Makoto was first with the backstroke. It was a powerful and amazing stroke. He slid past the others fairly quickly and made his way back. Now, it was Nagisa who went in. You knew that breaststroke was the slowest of them all; but he did it so naturally that it looked as if he was going faster than normal. Rei dived just after Nagisa touched the wall. It wasn't the best butterfly stroke you'd seen; but he looked determined and positive. He made it back fairly quickly (despite his goggles having slipped off) and it was time to finish off with Haruka's freestyle.  
"Go, Haruka-San!" You didn't know how, but you actually began to cheer on for him. The race was almost over and this was the last lap so he needed all the support he could get.  
He passed three; then another one, and another one; until he was the first to reach the wall.  
We all screamed with excitement at the results. You were so fascinated, that you made your way down the seats and ran towards the boys. Gou called from behind, but you pressed forward.  
"You did it guys! You're going to the Regionals!" You panted happily.  
"[Name]-Chan!" Nagisa hugged you, all soaking wet, and the rest of them followed. You were all damp now and all eyes were on you. Still, the moment felt so good that everything else was a blur.  
"[Name]-Chan, I think it's time for the reward." Nagisa smirked and you blushed.  
"R-right. The kiss…"  
"[Name], you don't have to do it if you don't want to." Makoto said with concern.  
"Haha, no, I'll do it. Consider it as part of my congratulation.  
They all separated from the hug and you went toward Nagisa first. You kissed his cheek and he smiled brightly. Then it was Rei, whose face reddened at the kiss. Haru looked away for a brief moment but ended up leaning down so that you could peck his cheek. It was crazy, but you thought you saw a slight flush on his face. You chuckled and proceeded toward Makoto.  
"Y-you better lean down so that I can reach."  
All of a sudden, his arms grabbed you by the underarms and he mounted you on his waist; so that your legs wrapped around his lower back.  
"I have a better idea." He said before pulling your head down and kissing you in the mouth.  
The people around you roared at the sight; cheering you on with excitement. Even the boys started to clap.  
After a rather passionate kiss, he pulled back and looked into your eyes.  
"Thank you for being there, [name]." His words churned your insides, but in a good way. You didn't speak; the hotness was evident on your face. The only answer you gave him was a hug.  
That instant was perfect. You were with the people you loved, and the whole world cheered on for you. It was like a dream, but this time it was real. No more fantasies; no more daydreaming. Those seemingly nonexistent emotions that you never experienced before were real now. And they made you feel alive.  
And just like that, it all fell apart.  
All was completely destroyed, once you saw Rin staring at you from the bleachers. A disgusted look came across his face and he whirled around to leave.  
That's right; you never got a chance to talk to him. And by not doing so, you let him down drastically, in the worst way possible. This was bad; very, very bad. You were about to lose a good friend; someone who helped you without you even needing to ask; a person whose friendship was too precious to waste.

And it was all, your fault.


	10. Open Eyes

"Rin! Riiiiiin!"  
You had started running. Without an excuse or explanation, your legs just dashed off to his direction…to Rin's direction, leaving everyone else behind. It probably wasn't the best thing to do; still, you couldn't restrain yourself from this situation; the feeling of guilt had already set itself in the pit of your stomach, and you had to get it out, before it festered you from the inside.  
Thankfully, you spotted the burgundy haired boy stomping down one of the halls. He was probably headed toward the locker rooms.  
"Rin." Once putting your hand on his shoulder, he tugged it away reflexively; the action, bringing an acidic feeling to the back of your throat. "Rin, I'm sorry. You did_ not_ deserve that." He just kept on walking, so you hurried to stand in front of him. "Rin, please. I'm sorry!"  
"Sorry is not good enough!" Raising his voice, he shot a death glare to your direction. Perhaps it was the sight of tears in your eyes that made his expression soften a bit; but he looked away almost immediately. "I just want to be left alone." He sighed, and shoved right past the you that was still frozen in place.  
/Dammit!\ Your vision blurred and the strength drained from your knees as you collided to the ground with shaky, inaudible sobs. "You knew I liked Makoto, Rin…so why…?" Talking to yourself didn't help much, and the feelings got worse once you heard your name being called in the distance. /I can't be seen like this.\ So once again, you ran. You ran and ran as fast as you could with your weighed heart; and though your leg was far from being in perfect conditions, there was just no way you could let them find you in your current state.  
The exit seemed so far away, but relief washed over once the sunlight came into view. The voices came closer; Makoto's shouts rose notably above everyone else's (or rather, his voice is the one you paid the most attention to). But somehow, you managed to escape.

"[Name]?" Your mother had been calling diligently from behind the door the past half-hour. Still, you knew that you weren't going to budge. Two days had passed since the Swimming Prelims and you hadn't left your room once (only for food and going to the bathroom).  
"[Name]," She finally decided to open the door, "*Sigh* I really don't know what's bothering you and I know you won't tell me, but your friend was nice enough to come visit you, so you better man up and go greet him."  
/_Him?\ _"Wait, mom," You peeked your head out of the bed sheets, "who's down there?"  
"Maybe you should find out for yourself; though you probably have an idea already." She gave you that look that only mothers could pull off; the kind of look that portrayed a smile in her eyes, without her_actually_ smiling.  
And of course you knew who had come to visit you. You'd been receiving messages from Gou and Makoto, nonstop (even a few from Rei and Nagisa). You just hadn't bothered to go ahead and check your cell phone. You kept it locked away inside your drawer, dreading the thought of touching it, or even looking at it; like it was some sort of cursed object. It wasn't their fault. They had absolutely nothing to do with this; you just didn't want to drag them down with your problems, so you didn't. And to your eyes, that was okay (or so you thought).  
Your focus veered toward your mother, whose eyes surveyed you with concern; the hole in your stomach now burning with more intensity. The realization hit you with all its force. You had been pushing your mother away all this time, too, not giving her the credit she deserved. She _was_ your mother after all; she at least deserved an explanation.  
"Forgive me, mom." You pleaded as your arms wrapped around her, "I haven't been treating you as well as I should have. You're one of the best friends a girl could have, and yet, I haven't been treasuring that. Sorry."  
Her eyes widened a bit but then her face gradually morphed into a smile. "Don't ask me for forgiveness. You know that I could never manage to stay mad at you." She pulled you away and forced you to lock eyes with her. "But right now, you have to go out there and settle things straight. Stop blocking everything out like you always do. Every time you get in trouble, you go into this automatic shut-down mode where you build a wall between you and the world. But that's not the right solution. You have to go and face whatever troubles you. Even if things go wrong, you know that you at least tried."  
Managing to suppress some tears, you gave one last hug to your mom, "Okay, mom, I'll do that." And you rushed outside.

"You disappeared that day, completely evaded us." The deep, angelic voice remarked once you set foot outside; its tone neither joyous nor angry.  
Makoto sat on the front steps, his broad back facing you. Your mother's words of comfort resounded once more inside your head before you sat next to the boy, whose fingers toyed around between the fur of a small tabby cat.  
"I take it that you're mad at me?" You asked while side glancing at him.  
He looked at you and laughed before answering. "No, but Gou was furious."  
"What's so funny?"  
"It looks like you've been in bed for quite some time."  
"Aah!" You quickly pulled your hands up to fix your bed hair. /I didn't even bother to look into a mirror before coming down\. "S-sorry." The blood rushed all the way up to your cheeks.  
"Haha, what are you apologizing for?" He raised his hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "You missed one." He smiled.  
"Th-thanks…" It had only been two days, but you hadn't realized how much you missed the sound of his voice.  
/He's so good to me…even after what I did. I ran away and left him behind; completely ignoring his calls…_their_ calls. I have been pushing _all_ of my friends away and yet they still come back to comfort me.\ Your thoughts got the better of you, and tears began to well up in your eyes. /I'm such a damn crybaby.\  
Squeezing the edge of your shirt, you opened your mouth to speak, "Makoto, I…" Your voice cracked. "I'm sorry." And the tears rolled down, "All my life, I have been worried about having friends that would end up leaving me, or hating me…when _I'm_ the one who's been mistreating _you _guys. You can't imagine how horrible I feel. I've been trying to face things the wrong way. I'm supposed to rely on my friends, not run away from them. To tell you the truth, this experience is new to me; I've never actually had that many friends in my life, so I was bound to treat you guys awkwardly ever since the beginning. Please find a way to forgive me."  
"Why do you keep saying that?"  
"Huh?" The sudden grip on your shoulders made your body jolt up a bit.  
"You keep saying that you're a bad person, that you're not worthy of our friendship. Stop doing that to yourself!" His green eyes looked at you lovingly. "We are all humans. We all make mistakes and get mad at each other…and we're not perfect; but that doesn't mean that you should diminish your own value! You're a wonderful human being in your own way and you should cherish that."  
"Makoto…"  
"I would like for you to realize how special you really are…just like I did."  
That had done it. His words made your cries even more noticeable than before and the tears were now coming down in streams. No one has ever said that to you before; let alone a _boy._  
"T-t-thank you," You almost couldn't speak, but he smiled anyways and leaned down to kiss your forehead.  
"I like you, your person, who you _are_. I hope you realize that." His cheeks turned red at the words and you buried your wet face into his chest.  
"Likewise."

He waited for you to calm down and, after all this time, you finally proceeded to tell him everything; from the day Rin confessed to you, to the Prelims Competition two days ago.  
A long sigh emitted from his mouth and he smiled feebly, "I kinda suspected that he had a thing for you."  
"You did, huh?..."  
"Yeah. You two are not very good liars."  
"Thanks."  
"Hehe, my bad. Still," He turned to you and crossed his arms, "I don't think it was nice of Rin to blame you for what happened; I mean…" He lowered his arms back down and blushed, "Y-yo…"  
You tilted your head at him in question, and he rapidly averted his gaze to the floor. "You liked _me_first, right?..."  
"Ahaha, well….yeah.." You flushed nervously.  
He chuckled and put his hand over yours; then he jolted it back. "Uh, do you mind?"  
You shook your head and he proceeded to grab your hand. He cradled it in between his and handled it with care. He almost made it feel like you were something fragile and breakable.  
"Don't go and blame yourself like that; Rin has absolutely no say in who you choose to like, so there was no point in getting mad with you. If there's anyone who should be apologizing here, it's him."  
"Then what am I supposed to do?"  
Makoto looked up, as if the answer would fall right off the heavens. "Just let him calm down for a bit. Rin has never been one to admit his own mistakes, so it takes him a while to realize what he's done wrong."  
You frowned and looked to your feet, "So I freaked out over nothing.."  
"No, you freaked out because you _cared._" He lowered your entwined hands in the gap between the two of you as he went on, "Besides, you said it yourself right? You're not used to this sort of relationship, so your reactions might be a bit off. The important thing, however, is that your heart is in the right place."  
He was right, on so many levels. It was a good thing that you decided to start listening to those around you, because it was a given that you weren't the best at solving problems. But now; the stress inside your chest had flown away, and tranquility took its place. Everything felt significantly lighter, the air blew smoothly and everything was now as it should be.  
"There's no way for me to express how thankful I am, Makoto." You muttered as your head nudged his shoulder. You felt his muscles tense and relax rapidly. /It's so cute how he still gets so nervous.\ You grinned at the thought.  
"I'm just doing my duty as good human being." He replied in a low voice.  
You let out a low chuckle; raising your eyes to find a man walking towards your house steps. The reaction was almost immediate, as you stood up in astonishment.  
"Dad?!"  
He scanned you with tiresome eyes, and then shifted his view to Makoto, who now stood up in front of him.  
"You must be Mr.[Last Name]. My name is, Tachibana Makoto, it's very nice to meet you!" The green eyed boy extended his greeting hand to your father, who only stared back.  
"[Name]." His raspy voice rumbled at you as he completely ignored Makoto's courtesy attempt, "Once you're done talking to your friend here, please come inside the house. There's something we need to talk about." And with another glare at Makoto, he went inside and slammed the door.  
"It's very rare to see him come home at this hour; he usually arrives at 3:00a.m. or so." You bit the inside of your lip thoughtfully, "Also…I wonder what he wants to talk about…"  
"Try not to think much about it. I'll get going so that you can get back inside." Makoto smiled at you and you smiled back.  
"Thanks for understanding. I'll see you later, then"  
"Goodbye." He spun around and strode off.  
Shutting the door behind you, you made way to the living room. The closer you got, the more you could hear your mother's troubled voice; and then you approached them to find your mom with her arms crossed, and her eyebrows furrowed worriedly. It was unusual to see your mother in that state.  
So your head turned to your father who sat on the couch, "Dad, what's going on?"  
He clutched the beer in front of him and he took a long sip, carefully rotating his head your direction to speak,

"Go to your room and pack everything; we're moving to London in two days."


End file.
